Balloon control device for strand twisting apparatus



P 5, 1967 A. w. VlB BER 3,339,358

BALLOON CONTROL DEVICE FOR STRAND TWISTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 12, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 rlmwumumnnn mmmnnmmummmn u lllllllIIIIIlllIIIIlllrllllllllllllllllllll l ll ||I|l| G 7Z0 Ccnsfanf Tens/on 24 Dev/ e Tabby up Cora/ under 7205/0/7 INVENTOR.

. wwfweu United States Patent 3,339,358 BALLOON CONTROL DEVICE FOR STRAND TWISTING APPARATUS Alfred W. Vibber, 630 5th Ave., New York, N.Y. 10020 Filed Dec. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 600,845 9 Claims. (Cl. 5758.36)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A novel device controlling the balloon of a strand twisting spindle. A first means feeds a strand at a variable speed into the balloon, and a second means feeds ,the strand from the balloon under tension. A circular rotatable member coaxial of the balloon is drivingly connected to the first strand feeding means so that passage of the strand past such feeding means rotates the circular member in a direction opposite from that of the balloon. The circular member receives from the balloon retarding torque which increases when balloon diam- I eter increases, and decreases when balloon diameter decreases.

This invention relates to a balloon controldevice for strand twisting apparatus, and more particularly relates to a device for feeding a strand under tension into a rotating loop or balloon so as to maintain the diameter of the loop within predetermined limits.

In applicants prior pending applications Ser. Nos. 584,-

288, now abandoned, and 598,578, filed Oct. 31, 1966,

there have been described and claimed cord forming spindles of the ply-wrapping type wherein the outer ballooned strand is fed at constant speed to the plying or cording point. In such spindles the tension of the strand or balloon is isolated from the tension in the portion of such strand immediately in advance of the plying point, so that variations in balloon tension and/or diameter do not affect the plying operation. The control of the diameter thus becomes of secondary importance and, as explained in applications Ser. Nos. 584,288 and 598,578,

- may be effected simply by a constant tension device through which the outer strand is fed as it approaches the balloon. Such arrangement, however, requires that there be sufficient space between successive spindles of a frame to permit the balloons to expand sufficiently to compensate for increased weight per unit length of the ent invention is simple in construction and is positive in operation. Such device includes a balloon diameter sensing means in the form of an annular member which closely confronts a zone of the rotating loop or balloon and receives torque therefrom by direct frictional engagement between the ballooning strand and the annular member, indirectly from the air vortex which accompanies such zone of the rotating loop, or both, as here shown in certain of the disclosed embodiments. Such torque is employed to brake or retard a tension device to a variable degree depending upon the diameter of the balloon.

'The tension device may be the sole tensioning means acting upon the strand which is about to enter the balloon or, as here illustrated, may be employed with a further, essentially fixed tension device the effect of which is additional to that of the tension device of the balloon control.

The above and further objects and novel features of I the invention will more fully appear from the following 3,339,358 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limitations of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a schematic view partially in elevation and partially in vertical axial section of a first embodiment of twisting apparatus employing a balloon control device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical axial section through the lower end portion of a second embodiment of means for sensing balloon diameter which may be employed with the balloon control device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic view of a third embodiment of means for sensing balloon diameter, the figure illustrating the relationship between the upper end Zone of the balloon and the balloon diameter sensing means when the balloon has an intermediate diameter within the desired balloon diameter range;

FIG. 4 is a View similar to FIG. 3 of a fourth illustrative embodiment of balloon diameter sensing means which may be employed with the balloon control device of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view partially in elevation and partially in vertical axial section of a second embodiment or twisting apparatus employing a balloon control device in accordance with the invention, such apparatus including a fifth embodiment of balloon diameter sensing means.

Turning now to the drawings, the twisting spindle generally designated by the reference character 10 in FIG. 1 is a skip twister of the downtwister type, and is generally the same as that of the third, non-illustrated embodiment disclosed in my prior application Ser. No. 600,617. Spindle 10 has a main hollow spindle shaft 11 which is shown as driven by a V-pulley 28 over which there extends a belt driven by a motor (not shown). Secured to the shaft 11 is a shallow cup-shaped fiyer 12 on which is mounted a capstan 17 which is driven at constant speed by a driving train which is schematically shown at 13. Such drive train extends from a fixed outer sleeve 33 carrying an internal gear, through gears on a stub shaft journalled in the fiyer, and then to the capstan. An outer singles strand a is rotated by the shaft 11 and the fiyer 12 to form a loop or balloon 14 therein, such balloon extending about a supply package 19 for a second inner singles strand b. Package 19 is mounted on a package support 23 which, in turn, is mounted upon a housing 18 which contains bearing means (not shown) through which the package support 23 is mounted upon the up per end of the rotating shaft 11. The support 23 and the package 19 mounted thereon are held from rotation by conventional means (not shown) such as cooperating magnets disposed inwardly and outwardly of loop 14 p or by the eccentric weighting of the support 23 and the tipping of the shaft 11 from the vertical. Mounted upon the support and housing structure 23, 18 is a tension device 20 which subjects strand b to constant tension in the run thereof extending to the plying point P.

The outer strand a and the inner strand b meet at a cording or plying point P where they are wrapped about each other, the resulting cord c being withdrawn under tension from the plying point by the take-up capstan 21. Preferably, as disclosed in said prior applications Ser. Nos. 584,288 and 598,288, the take-up capstan 21 is driven at constant speed. Further, as also explained in said prior application, the singles-feeding capstan 17 is driven so that its surface speed exceeds the surface speed of the capstan 21 by the amount of shrinkage in the effective length of the singles strand a caused by the plying of the two singles strands together.

The singles strand a in traveling toward the balloon 14 passes first through an essentially fixed tension device 27 and then into the variable tension device which is included as an element of the balloon control 16. The tensiondevice 27 is shown somewhat schematically as having fixed cylindrical bodies 29 and 30 under and over which, respectively, the strand a passes, such strand then passing beneath a roller guide 31 and into the device 16. Tension device 27 includes a leaf spring 32, the outer free end of which overlies the body 30 and nips strand a between it and such body. The root of the spring 32 is secured to a fixed support 34, such support having an arm 36 which extends above the leaf spring 32. A thumb screw 35, which is threaded into the arm 36, engages the leaf spring somewhat rearwardly of the body 30 and permits the force with which the spring 32 engages and presses the strand a against body 30 to be suitably adjusted.

The balloon control device 16, above referred to, includes a hollow spindle or shaft 22 which is rotatably disposed coaxial of the shaft 11 and the loop 14. The lower end of the bore of the shaft 22 is provided with an annular strand apex guide 26 which is suitably rounded in axial section. Shaft 22 is mounted in suitable bearings for rotation about its axis, such bearings being disposed in a first fixed upper arm 24 and a second fixed lower arm 25. Aflixed to the shaft 22 below the arm 24 is a dished capstan roll 37 about which the strand a is wrapped a plurality of times after leaving the guide roller 31. The engagement between the strand a and the capstan 37 is a substantially non-slipping one which is insured not only by the plurality of wraps of the strand about the capstan, but also by the initial tension applied to the strand a by the tension device 27 and the tension applied thereto beyond the capstan 37 by the balloon 14.

The strand a is led off the capstan 37 by a first, lower guide roll 39 from which the strand travels upwardly to a second guide roll 40 which is located with its strand discharge surface coaxial of the shaft 22. Upon leaving the guide roll 40, the strand a travels downwardly through the bore of the shaft 22, through the apex guide 26, and thence into the balloon 14. The balloon control device 16 includes means, to be described, whereby the strand in such balloon 14 variably retards the capstan 37, the degree of such retardation increasing when the balloon increases in diameter, and vice versa.

The capstan 37 is integrally secured to a large gear 45, which is disposed coaxially of the capstan, by a connecting sleeve 46, the capstan, the sleeve, and the gear being rotatably mounted upon and with respect to the shaft 22 by suitable bearings, as shown. Gear 45 meshes with a small pinion 47 which is connected by a stub shaft 49 to a large gear 51. Shaft 49 is rotatably mounted upon a further overarm 50 in a suitable bearing. The large gear 51 meshes with a second small pinion 52 which is atfixed to the shaft 22 coaxially thereof. It will thus be apparent that the travel of the strand a over the capstan 37 causes the shaft 22 to rotate at a speed which is substantially greater than that of the capstan. In accordance with the present invention, the strand a is wrapped about the capstan 37 in such direction that the shaft 22 is driven thereby to rotate in a direction which is opposite from the direction of rotation of the balloon 14.

Fixedly mounted upon the lower end of the shaft 22 coaxial thereof is a downwardly open bell 41 which surrounds the upper end of the balloon 14. In the embodiment shown, the bell 41 includes a single means whereby torque to retard the rotation of the bell is directly received from the balloon. The lower rim of the bell 41 is smoothly rounded at 44 and engages the strand a as it rotates in the balloon 14. The strand engages such rim 44 with a force which varies in accordance with balloon diameter, more forcibly retarding the bell 41 and thus the capstan 37 when the balloon expands, and less forcibly retarding the capstan 37 when the balloon decreases in diameter.

In the embodiment of balloon diameter sensing means 15a of FIG. 2, the main parts are generally similar to those of the means 15 of FIG. 1 and thus are designated by the same reference characters. The means 15a, however, includes a second means whereby torque to retard the rotation of the bell is received thereby from the balloon. Such second means includes a plurality of generally radially disposed angularly spaced vanes 42 secured within the bell 41. Such vanes 42 have their inner edges lying on an imaginary surface of revolution which lies outwardly of the path traveled by the balloon of the largest permissible diameter. In rotating at high speed, the strand a of the balloon forms an air vortex which rotates with the strand. The vanes 42 interact with such vortex and derive a substantial torque thereform, such torque increasing as the balloon increases in diameter and thus the strand a lies closer to the inner edges of the vanes. The torque thus derived from the air vortex is additive to that caused by the constant engagement of the strand a in the balloon with the rim 44a of the bell 41. Bell 41 has three vertically spaced annular members or guard rings 54, 55, and 56 which increases in diameter in that order, and which extend radially inwardly to the inner edges of the vanes 42 to which they are secured. Not only do the rings 54, 55, and 56 brace the vanes 42, but they prevent the strand 0 from penetrating between successive vanes, upon any unusual and undue expansion of the balloon, and thus prevent the cutting of the strand by the vanes. In some instances the retardation of the bell by the air vortex will be suflicient under normal conditions. In such case, the bell 41 is made of such shape that the rim 44a contacts the balloon only when the balloon has expanded to a diameter which is at or be yond the upper limit of its operating range.

In FIG. 3 there is shown a balloon diameter sensing means 15b having vanes 42' which are similar to the vanes 42 of FIG. 2. Means 15b is also provided with tannular braces or guard rings 54', 55', and 56 for the in= ner edges of the vanes. Such rings 54', 55, and 56', however, protrude inwardly toward the balloon to varying degrees. Thus a balloon of very small diameter will not engage any of such rings nor will it engage the rim 44b of the bell, the bell in this instance receiving torque from the balloon only by way of the action of the air vortex accompanying the balloon upon the vanes 42'. As the balloon progressively increases in diameter, the strand 11 therein will progressively engage only ring 54, only rings 54' and 55', as shown in FIG. 3 wherein strand a is separated from the lowest ring 56' and is spaced from rim 44b by a distance d, all of the rings but not the rim, and finally, all of the rings and the rim. It will be understood that the bell-retarding effects of the rings 54, 55, and 56 and of the rim 44 of the bell increase in that order because of the progressive increase in diameter of such parts.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a still further embodiment of the bell, there designated 41b, which is adapted for use in the apparatus of FIG. 1. The bell of FIG. 4 differs from those of FIGS. 2 and 3 in that it incorporates further, outer vanes 57 which extend radially outwardly from the outer surface of the bell in angular spaced relationship. The vanes 57 act to retard the rotation of the bell 41b, and thus of that of the capstan 37, by their interaction with the air which surrounds the bell. The use of the vanes 57 permits the capstan 37 to exert a greater retarding tension upon the strand a, and thus to relieve the fixed tension device 27 of a proportionate share of its tension load.

In FIG. 5 there is schematically shown a second embodiment of strand plying apparatus, generally designated 59. Such apparatus is generally similar to the second illustrated embodiment in my prior application Ser. No. 598,578. The spindle 59 has a main shaft 60, upon which there is mounted a flyer 61 which creates and maintains a balloon or rotating loop 62 in a singles strand a. Strand a in this instance is fed upwardly into the lower end of the hollow main shaft 60 through a balloon controlling device 16 which takes the place of the storage wheel which is employed in the second embodiment of application Ser. No. 598,578.

At the upper end of the balloon 62 the rotating strand a is engaged and fed forwardly by a capstan 64 which is mounted upon an auxiliary fiyer 63 so as to rotate as a whole therewith. Flyer 63 is mounted on a bearing 80 on an arm 79 aflixed to the inner package support 76, to be described. The capstan 64 is driven at a constant peripheral speed by driving-means, here schematically indicated at 68, which may be the same as that of my above prior application No. 584,288. Beyond the capstan 64 the strand a rises to engage a second, inner singles strand b at a plying or cording point P, the resulting cord 6 traveling through a fixed annular guide 65 to a take-up capstan 66 which withdraws the cord from the plying point under tension, and preferably at constant speed. As in my prior applications Ser. Nos. 584,288 and 589,578, the speed of the capstan 64 somewhat exceeds the surface speed of the capstan 66, whereby to compensate for the decrease in effective length of the singles strand a by the ply wrapping operation.

The inner strand b is supplied by an inner strand package 67 mounted within the balloon 62 upon the support 76, such support being held from rotation by conventional means, the ultimate support of the means 76 and the package 67 being furnished by the shaft 60 through bearing means (not shown) disposed in a housing 78. In its passage to the plying point P the strand b is engaged by a tension means 69 mounted upon an arm 77 affixed to the support 76. As in the prior applications Ser. Nos. 584,288 and 598,578, above referred to, the portion of the strand a between the capstan 64 and the plying joint is subjected to substantially the same tension as that imposed upon strand b by tension device 69', the tension in the cord 0 being substantially twice the tension imposed upon each of the singles strands.

The outer singles strand a is supplied from a package 81, being fed from the package over a guide roll 82 and through a first tension device 27, here schematically shown, which may be similar to the device 27 of FIG. 1. Upon leaving the tension device 27', the strand a passes to a balloon control device 16'. Such device includes a dished capstan roll 74 about which strand a is wrapped a plurality of times to provide non-slipping engagement between them. Strand a, upon leaving capstan 74, passes over first fixed guide roll 84, travels downwardly therefrom and partially about a second fixed guide roll 85, and thence upwardly coaxially within the lower end of the main hollow spindle shaft 60. The strand a passes outwardly through the wall of the shaft to enter a guide adjacent the rim of the fiyer 61.

The capstan 74 is variably retarded by the balloon 62 in generally the same manner as in the embodiment of FIG. 1. In this instance, however, the member which receives torque from the balloon 62 in the form of an upwardly open cup 70 which is disposed coaxially of the shaft 60 and of the balloon 62, the upper end of the body 70 surrounding the fiyer 61 and the lower end of the balloon. At its lower end the member 70 has a sleeve 71 disposed coaxially thereof, such sleeve surrounding shaft 60 and being journalled in suitable bearings 72 in a fixed support 73. The upper smooth rim 84 of the member 70 during normal operation of the apparatus lightly engages the strand a in the zone thereof confronting such rim. As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the strand a is wrapped around the capstan 74 in such manner that the strand drives the capstan and the member 70, by means to be described, in such direction that the member 70 rotates in a direction opposite from the direction of rotation of the balloon. Thus, the balloon functions variably to retard the capstan 74, the degree of such retardation increasing as the balloon diameter increases and decreasing as the balloon diameter decreases.

The driving train 75 between the capstan 74 and the member 70 will be seen to be generally similar to that of FIG. 1 when the latter is inverted. Thus the drive from the capstan 74 proceeds through the gear train shown to a pinion 52' affixed to the lower sleeve portion 71 of member 70. It need not be further described other than to say that the elements thereof are designated by the same reference characters as in FIG. 1 but with added primes, and that it is reversible, that is, the drive through it may proceed in either direction.

The balloon control of the present invention is of advantage because of simplicity and its positiveness of action. In the embodiment of FIG. 2 the strand a in the rotating loop or balloon does not ordinarily engage any surface within the bell 41, and will engage the rim 44 of the bell only lightly. This follows from the facts (1) that the retarding force contributed by the air vortex is additive to such frictional retardation, and (2) the marked force multiplication of the driving train in the direction from the bells 41, 70 to the capstans 37, 74 of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 5, respectively. Only a light frictional engagement between the strand and the bell is required in any of the other disclosed balloon controls. Thus none of the bells subjects the strand a to any strand-damaging forces.

Although a limited number of embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be especially understood that various changes such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, materials used, and the like, as well as the suggested manner of use of the apparatus of the invention, may be maintained therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. In some instances, the drive trains between the capstans 37, 74 and the bells 41, 70, respectively, may be made with less speed multiplication than in the embodiments shown. Where the strands being plied are of high denier and the balloon tension is high, such capstan may even be connected directly, that is, with a 1 x 1 speed ratio, to its bell. Also, the diameter of the capstans 37, 74 may be decreased, if desired, to approach the diameter of the shaft on which it is mounted, assuming that such diameter is within the permissible range of the diameter of coils in which the strand may be formed under tension with adequate gripping effect upon the capstan and without damage to the strand.

What is claimed is:

1. In a strand twisting apparatus having a driven rotatable shaft for rotating a traveling strand in the form of a loop, means for feeding the strand into a first, strand inlet, end of the loop, and means for taking-up the strand under tension from the second, strand outlet, end of the loop, the improved means for feeding the strand into the loop which comprises a capstan engaging and feeding the strand at variable speed toward the loop, a rotatable circular member disposed coaxially of the loop and having a peripheral zone closely confronting a zone of the loop, means drivingly connecting the capstan and the circular member so that rotation of the capstan by the strand traveling thereover rotates the circular member in the direction opposite the direction of rotation of the loop, and means on the circular member receiving torque from said zone of the loop which the member confronts in an amount which increases as the diameter of the loop increases and decreases as the diameter of the loop decreases, whereby the capstan is variably retarded by the loop to maintain the diameter of the loop within predetermined desired limits.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circular member is annular and is disposed outwardly of and surrounds said zone of the loop.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said torque receiving means comprises vanes affixed to the inner side of the annular member confronting said zone of the loop,

7 said vanes receiving torque from the air vortex accompanying said zone of the loop.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said zone of the loop is at one end thereof, and the annular member is in the form of a bell surrounding said one end of the loop.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said torque receiving means comprises vanes affixed to the inner side of the bell, the radially inner edges of the vanes closely confronting the strand in said zone of the rotating loop, said vanes receiving torque from the air vortex accompanying said zone of the loop.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said torque receiving means comprises annular means on the annular member coaxial thereof and adapted to be frictionally engaged by the strand in said zone of the rotating loop when the loop has a predetermined diameter.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said torque receiving means further comprises vanes alfixed to the side of the annular member confronting said zone of the loop, said vanes receiving torque'from the air vortex accompanying said zone of the loop.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said zone of the loop is at one end thereof, and the annular member is in the form of a bell surrounding said one end of the loop.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising further means interacting with said strand and imposing a constant retarding tension thereon additional to the variable retardation imposed thereon by said capstan.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,066,472 12/1962 Klein 5758.3 3,153,893 10/1964 Vibber 5758.3 3,286,450 11/1966 Vibber 57-583 3,290,873 12/1966 Vibber 57-58.3

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

D. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A STRAND TWISTING APPARATUS HAVING A DRIVEN ROTATABLE SHAFT FOR ROTATING A TRAVELING STRAND IN THE FORM OF A LOOP, MEANS FOR FEEDING THE STRAND INTO A FIRST, STRAND INLET, END OF THE LOOP, AND MEANS FOR TAKING-UP THE STRAND UNDER TENSION FROM THE SECOND, STRAND OUTLET, END OF THE LOOP, THE IMPROVED MEANS FORR FEEDING THE STRAND INTO THE LOOP WHICH COMPRISES A CAPSTAN ENGAGING AND FEEDING THE STRAND AT VARIABLE SPEED TOWARD THE LOOP, A ROTATABLE CIRCULAR MEMBER DISPOSED COAXIALLY OF THE LOOP AND HAVING A PERIPHERAL ZONE CLOSELY CONFRONTING A ZONE OF THE LOOP, MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTING THE CAPSTAN AND THE CIRCULAR MEMBER SO THAT ROTATION OF THE CAPSTAN BY THE STRAND TRAVELING THEREOVER ROTATES THE CIRCULAR MEMBER IN THE DIREACTION OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF THE LOOP, AND MEANS ON THE CIRCULAR MEMBER RECEIVING TORQUE FROM SAID ZONE OF THE LOOP WHICH THE MEMBER CONFRONTS IN AN AMOUNT WHICH INCRASES AS THE DIAMETER OF THE LOOP INCREASES AND DECREASES AS THE DIAMETER OF THE LOOP DECREASES, WHEREBY THE CAPSTAN IS VARIABLY RETARDED BY THE LOOP TO MAINTAIN THE DIAMETER OF THE LOOP WITHIN PREDETERMINED DESIRED LIMITS. 